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Topic: Wild bee hive in tree now in my lawn (Read 5409 times)

Trap outs would destroy not only the tree colonies but the genetics as well...better to set swarm traps. You could possibly harvest many swarms from those trees over the years.

Scott

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"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

You could possibly harvest many swarms from those trees over the years.

And you couldn't harvest multiply trap outs? I guess I need to learn more about this. After the bees have left the tree and they have emptied the tree hive from honey it would seem to me that now becomes an inviting natural home for a swarm (from one of the other trees).

What happens if he can catch a swarm, and successfully gets that to stay in the box. Can he add bees to the colony by using the trap out technique? You can stop the trap out at any time you want so I would think you would end up with a colony in the box and still one in the tree.

It's quite possible to harvest multiple hives from a trap out providing you can supply the queens. The first bees out of the cone are field bees. This leaves a shortage of foragers and with no nectar or pollen coming in the queen starts to slow down her laying as more and more nurse bees are recruited into the forager position. As more and more bees are lost to the trap the colony spirals down eventually to a point where they can no longer sustain themselves and collapses. At this point the queen and what workers may be left will normally abscond. It's very difficult to tell exactly where this point is.

The only ways to preserve the genetics from a bee tree is with a cut out (where you might have a 60-60% survival rate) or trapping swarms for at least half the genes.

Scott

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"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

It's quite possible to harvest multiple hives from a trap out providing you can supply the queens. The first bees out of the cone are field bees. This leaves a shortage of foragers and with no nectar or pollen coming in the queen starts to slow down her laying as more and more nurse bees are recruited into the forager position.

I was thinking he could buy the first nuc and use the field bees from the tree to build the hive real quick then pull off the trap cone. Obviously timing is an issue but a saw a topic on this forum that laid out the whole timing of the procedure. Maybe it was a link of one of the forum topics I saw.

Obviously timing is an issue but a saw a topic on this forum that laid out the whole timing of the procedure. Maybe it was a link of one of the forum topics I saw.

This is what you saw is Idees plans and time line for doing them I broke myself into keeping using this method It worked for me the first time and I didn't own Nothing as in keeping toolsGear Nada I used a turkey Vail and food grade Liquid smoke in a spay bottleI am a Very determined, poor bee keeper

This is what you saw is Idees plans and time line for doing them I broke myself into keeping using this method It worked for me the first time and I didn't own Nothing as in keeping toolsGear Nada I used a turkey Vail and food grade Liquid smoke in a spay bottleI am a Very determined, poor bee keeper

That's my point. This guy is a tree cutter who found some bees and he knows where there are more. Why would he be worried about genetics at this point?

Ok guys I am definatly looking forward to my new hobby. I have not yet decided on which to do trap out or cut out but am leaning towards a cutout. I am looking for the most effective way and hopefully the best for the bee's.

I have just found a guy only a couple miles from the house that I am going to talk to to get his take. He's an older gentleman and has done many swarm traps and a couple cutouts. I'll keep you guys posted and keep reading so any suggestions are more than welcome.

Well I am still around and looking forward to spring staying. It was in 60's for the last 2 days and the girls were flying around like crazy loving the warm weather. There had to be 200 of the girls around my bird feeders not sure why must be pollen? I am still unsure if there are 2 seperate hives or 1 really large one, But I will find out in a few weeks:D.

I made a trip to Dadents and picked up 2 of their 8 frame garden hives. I'm ready for them one it warms up and stays. How long should I hold out? That is the one thing I am not sure of is how warm should I let it get its going back to the 40's for the next week or so atleast thats what the weathermen are guessing.

Anyway thanks for letting me read and learn so far my girls appear to be doing great lots of activity on warm days. I will continue to update my progress and stings if I get any:popcorn:

"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

Well I started from the bottom and worked my way up to the end of the first hive, I stopped 2 foot into semi solid wood. Holy cow that was a lot of bee's. Not 100% sure I got the queen but think I did as their are not many bees left in what used to be their hive. I put as much comb/brood in as I could not very much honey left but got a little bit in and left the rest around for them to clean up. They were already trying to put pollen in to the foundation. Hope I did good I was very suprised how calm they were I smoked them pretty heavy at first then not again. I think of I had a bigger set of !!!!! then I could have done it without a hood but being my first time I wore the hood and taped my boots and some leather gloves(light ones).

Anything I should do tonight??? Nothing like a last minute question.

Only one more hive to cut out maybe tomorrow if not then tuesday. I'll keep you posted with any progress but atleast no americas funniest videos today.(maybe on the next one)

JC,you may want to feed them syrup to assist in getting comb drawn on the foundation and to feed the larvae if the queen commences laying right away. Bees bringing in pollen is a good sign. Good job at your first attempt.

Sounds like your a natural :) If you got the bees working the hive already and they are calm, I too think you may have gotten the queen. You will know in a week or 2 No need to worry yet,I also think you should feed some.I take 2 cups sugar put in a Bottle then microwave 2 cups water till it has bubblesI pour it into the sugar and shake I drink a lot of Gatorade so I use those as feeders. I clean one get a finish nail or Safety pin poke a bunch of holes in the lid I turn it upside down away from the hive so most of the drip or all stops before I Put it on the hive

The first one was easy now lets see if I learned anything for the 2nd one. I may get to it today if not tomorrow for sure.I was waiting to see if it was one very large hive or 2 different ones in the tree. I planned on feeding them today also putting out all the old comb honey for them to rob. I just hope got the queen. I was supprised how calm they were after I got the majority of them in the hive, I took that as a good thing they were also tightly clustered together around the brood. Hope the are OK my 2 boys love to go and watch them bring home pollen and buzz the flowers, That and I got lots of apple/peach trees and along with other fruits and a half acre garden for them to work for me.OH and I may get to steal some honey :-D

"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may remember,involve me and I'll understand" Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways." John F. KennedyFranklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

Well I finally got to do the second cutout. A friend of mine helped me was a lot easier with 2 no vail and in T-shirts! We didn't even get stung till I nealled on a poor bee. Any who I am now in belief that I had one colony living in 2 seperate living quarters. As soon as the Husky was rev'd up they started to move into the the hive I had already hived. No fighting just walking right in. I did a pretty good looksee last night and the first hive is busting at the seems the one we just did had a few hundred bees in it their was not much brood in the top hive but lots of larva in the original. I am not good enough to find a queen yet but it looks like I got the old girl the first time. I was supprised with the number of bees out of the last cutout te air was black girls from both hives just a buzzing. I was a little concerend with the amount of dead bees but almost all of them are drones, LOTS of drones I am guessing due to being disturbed/food being moved they were booted out? I have a feeder in both hives and they are feeding nicely, they are now filling in the gaps of the original comb at a much faster rate, they started maybe 2 weeks ago on one frame now are working 4 so I'm guessing the sudden buildup from the other cutout gave them reason/workers to do this. I will check them in a week or so and report back.